While Tesla is now on a mission to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy, the company has been repeatedly criticized for its lax environmental practices, and this time is no exception. The new lawsuit was officially filed on January 31, 2024.
County representatives say Tesla has been violating California environmental laws for years, and they are seeking an injunction forcing Tesla to properly dispose of hazardous waste.
Tesla, the electric car manufacturer, has been sued by 25 counties in the state of California, for allegedly mishandling hazardous waste. (Photo: Techxplore)
The lawsuit claims that violations occurred at 101 facilities, including Tesla’s manufacturing plant in Fremont. The counties accuse Tesla of violating state fair trade and hazardous waste laws.
Los Angeles, San Francisco and other counties have accused Tesla of improperly labeling and disposing of hazardous waste at transfer stations or landfills that are not licensed to accept hazardous waste. That waste includes lubricants, brake fluid, lead-acid batteries, aerosol cans, antifreeze, cleaning fluids, propane, paint, acetone, liquefied petroleum gas, adhesives and diesel fuel. Tesla continues to do so on or off its premises, the counties added.
The lawsuit says civil penalties can be as high as $70,000 per violation. In addition to fines, violators of environmental laws may also be required to pay cleanup costs and restitution.
This lawsuit is not the first time Tesla has faced allegations related to its hazardous waste disposal. In 2019, the company reached a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over alleged federal hazardous waste violations at its Fremont factory. As part of that settlement, Tesla agreed to take steps to properly manage waste at the facility and pay a $31,000 fine.
In 2022, Tesla agreed to pay a $275,000 fine for violating the long-standing Clean Air Act, saying it failed to keep records and implement a plan to reduce air pollution from its paint operations at its Fremont plant. Similarly, Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s The Boring Company was cited by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality in Bastrop for violations after a complaint alleged the company was tunneling untreated wastewater into the Colorado River.
HUYNH DUNG (Source: Gizchina)
Source
Comment (0)